The Wishing Well

  My eyes widened at her words. She laughed at my incredulous look.

  “Yes, I am guessing the only trolls you have seen were less than lovable.”

  I nodded in vigorous agreement, which made her smile.

  “Terax may have looked hard on the outside, but she was wonderful. She had been with my family since I was born. Her father was a troll and her mother a human. So her features weren’t as defined as most. She had long black hair hung that down her back. Her face was more human than troll. But her ears gave her away. Her eyes were always filled with tender kindness and she was so gentle to everyone with whom she came in contact. Like everyone else of mixed families, she was banished when Tommit began moving people.

  “Unlike the others, they didn’t know where to send her. They didn’t want her with the humans. It was decided they were going to send her to the trolls, but at the last minute, Zieg changed his mind. He decided to send her to the castle. She was dragged from our home. I was the only one at home with her at the time. She fought and fought. Terax was terrified what would become of me if I was left alone. Zieg used his club and hit her hard in the face. She dropped down to the ground and…” Evver was reliving the moment. Her tiny hands were in tight balls of grief. The agony of the moment was forever seared into her heart.

  I reached out to comfort her. My touch brought her back.

  “I was so frightened. They left me alone. I was only four and to be all alone was scary enough, but to see someone I loved hurt in such a way–it was pure torture. My father arrived with Cassius a few hours later. They returned to find the door broken, and blood in the front room. I was hiding in a shed in the backyard. I was under piles of hay. Each of them was terrified of what had occurred while they were off looking for food. My father started calling out for me. They searched the house and the area around it. They even checked with our neighbors and then—Cas found me. It was one of my hiding spots where only he had ever found me. He carried me into the house, and it was days before I was able to tell them the story. My family was terrified. Cassius was sent to the west, to the Pater’s family. They are the giant’s family he told you about. Most of them had been hearing murmurings about giant adults going missing. So, they sent Cassius and Abow, their one year old son, to a family cabin in the fairy forest. Abow was about the size of a full grown man at the time, so he was still easy to conceal.” She paused and remembered the darkness of the moment. I thought about all the pain my friend had survived.

  It made my bullying seem like….. nothing.

  “Not long after they left, the uprisings began. I was sent to stay with them, as was my sister Ember. She was ten years old at the time. Our parents thought we would be safer with Cassius. They were right, of course. No one was prepared for Tommit’s Destroyers. It was like they knew everyone’s every step before they took it. They were waiting there, ready to take down anyone and everyone who would dare stand up to Tommit. The Pater’s disappeared. We still don’t know what happened to them. My father—well, he managed to escape with a deep wound to his thigh. Mama and I tried to save him.” Tears were starting to fall. I reached out and pulled her to me. Hugging her and wishing I could erase her pain. She cried until her tears were dry.

  “I am so sorry, Evver.” My eyes were far from dry, now. We sat in silence for what seemed like an hour. I almost wondered if she had fallen asleep, when she finally spoke again.

  “After that, Mama was a shell of who she had been. It was like she was living in a nightmare. Her beloved was dead and her children were in hiding. I don’t know how she ever survived it. Cassius, Ember and I were so worried about her. She went to live with her sister, Aria. They were hiding deep in the beanstalk forest last anyone told me. One day, Cas went out to search for some food. He left the rest of us to watch over each other. Abow had been up most of the night before, crying. He would look like a man to you, but he was still just a young child. All he wanted was his mother and father. Ember had been up with him, so they were both exhausted. They were sleeping and I snuck out. I wanted to find my mother. It was stupid and reckless. I made it as far as the crossing at the troll bridge. It was a trap. They had one of their scavengers waiting underneath, just waiting to bring their prize to Tommit. It cost me my wings, but I wouldn’t tell them where I had been. I couldn’t do that to my family.

  “So, I paid the price. I never cried, not even when they clipped my wings. I figured it was my punishment for endangering my family.

  I was terrified that Cassius would come looking for me and he, too, would be enslaved. He figured out I had been taken, but he was smart about it. Cassius always was good at thinking on his feet. He heard King Tommit was looking for someone to work in the stables. Growing up, he could always work with any animal you put in front of him. So he showed up and, after they saw him working with Darant, King Tommit’s prize Pegasus, they offered him the job. He had the full run of the castle grounds. Just like any caring big brother, he searched every inch of them. He had been here over a week and still hadn’t found me. Then, he started sneaking into the castle at night. After three weeks he finally found me. I still don’t know how he managed to stay hidden all of that time.

  “Cassius’ feelings were mixed when he found me. He was thrilled, but then he realized I had my wings clipped—it was one of the few times I had ever seen him cry. It took all of my will to convince him it was too dangerous for him to spirit me away from the castle that very night. Finally, he realized how much safer I was, here. If I ran and was caught then—well, there are no second chances with King Tommit. I would be brought in front of him and immediately killed. Cassius wasn’t willing to take that chance, so I stayed.”

  My mind was spinning.

  I knew that Tommit had only been in power a few years. So much had happened in such a short time. I felt sick, both physically and mentally. Evver had been through so much in her life. I felt a great empathy for her. I wanted to somehow fix it all. How could I? A thought that continually played through my mind made an appearance once again.

  “Evver? How old are you?” She looked at me and smiled.

  “I thought I had told you, I’m eight years old.”

  I felt like I had been gut punched.

  “Eight?” She was so young. It was hard to tell with fairies, they were all so tiny.

  “Yes. Why?”

  I couldn’t tell her the thoughts, which were torturing my mind. I forced a smile, unsure if she could see my face in the darkened room. The candle had gone out during her story and I was too entrenched in it to light a new one.

  “Just wondering…it’s just, well, I thought fairies had powers? Like fairy dust? It’s ok to laugh.”

  She did. All I could picture was Tinker Bell and Pixie Hollow.

  “Fairies used to have powers. It’s been almost a hundred years since they disappeared.”

  “Disappeared?” How could powers just disappear?

  “No one knows for sure what happened to the fairy powers. There used to be a golden gem that fed the fairies their powers. There has never been another one. It was hidden deep in the fairy forest. It supplied the fairies of their power and kept them safe from others preying upon them. Then one day it was gone. To this day, it remains a mystery why our powers remain missing.”

  I could tell it made her sad just thinking about it. So I asked another question I had been curious about.

  “So, Cassius is eighteen?”

  She grinned at me. “Almost. Actually, he has three more weeks until he turns eighteen. How old are you, Aurora?”

  “Seventeen. My birthday is January twenty-third.”

  “January? What’s January?”

  I almost laughed at her question. How could she not know what January was? Then, I was, once again, reminded that I wasn’t in my world anymore.

  “Um… January is the first month of the year, where I come from. It’s October, now, at my home.” I could imagine the strange look that must be dancing in her eyes. I continued to forget just how
foreign my world must be to her, probably more so than Paradan was to me.

  “Oh. Right now, we are in the tenth rime, if that helps at all.”

  I wanted to tell her I was even more confused now than I was before, but I just smiled and said yes. Evver curled up to me and laid her head on my stomach. Her breathing slowed and before I had time to think about it, she was fast asleep. The more I learned about Evver, Cassius, and Paradan, the more I was beginning to believe I was meant to end up here. Maybe I could do something to change the torment they were all experiencing. I had never been very brave, growing up. Meeting Evver had awakened something primal in me. In school, we had read about a mother bear that’d been shot eight times but she was still able to fight off the poachers until her babies were safe. The moment her cubs were safely tucked in their den, she dropped dead from her injuries. Right now, I wanted to be that mama bear for Evver. She slept fitfully all night. I have to admit I watched her sleep most of the night, worrying what her life was going to become.

  *

  The next evening, we were back in the kitchen seated around the table.

  That night, it had just been Evver, Reber and me. Reber stayed for a while, and then headed for bed. We were about to do the same when the door opened. Standing there, with raindrops dancing in his ebony hair, was Cassius. He wore a mischievous smile, which was contagious. My heart leapt.

  “Good evening.”

  I was having a hard time not staring. He was wearing dark brown suede riding pants and an off-white shirt that showed his muscular frame. His eyes were shining bright in the candlelight. My heart raced as his gaze fell on me.

  “Cas!” Evver jumped up and ran into his awaiting arms. She squealed with delight as he picked her up and spun her around. It was impossible not to join in the laughter. He carried her over to the table and sat her back in her seat with tender care. I loved the way that he treated her, as if she was his favorite person on the planet.

  My skin warmed a few degrees when he sat next to me.

  “It’s good to see you again Aurora.” The way he said my name made it hard to remember how to speak clearly. So I just smiled. “So are you ready to call it a night? Or would you like to go for a walk?”

  I looked at Evver. She wore the look of a conspirator.

  “A walk?” It sounded exciting and dangerous at the same time. “In the castle?”

  He laughed. “No, I’m talking about going outside. It’s a full moon tonight. We figure it’s time you see this kingdom you keep hearing so much about.”

  I wondered when he had been talking to Evver about me. The thought of his lips uttering my name sent chills through me. I liked it. But leaving the castle? I wasn’t sure being out in the open for someone to find us was such a great idea.

  “Isn’t that dangerous?” I asked, as fear quickened my heart rate. He smiled at my obvious nerves, and reached out to hold my trembling hand.

  “I will keep you safe, Aurora. I would never let anyone hurt you.”

  My chest burned with his voice. His icy eyes bore into me. They looked both fierce and tender. I believed him. There was a part of me that believed that if a dragon charged at me, he would be right there with his sword raised. The thought made me smile.

  “Yes!” Evver jumped up and rushed into the pantry. She appeared a few moments later with something dark emerald in color.

  “You will need this.”

  I took it out of her tiny hands. The fabric was silken and looked like someone had put a lot of time and effort into making it. The stitches were so tiny. It reminded me of the cape that Red Riding Hood wore. There was a large open hood to protect my head from the elements or prying eyes. It was just my length, as if it was specially made for me. Open holes where my arms fit and side pockets for my hands to rest in. I had never seen anything so stunning. It took my breath from me.

  “I hope you like it.” Evver’s voice was timid, but there was great pride in her eyes.

  “Evver, did you make this?” Her porcelain skin flushed red. She nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  “Here, let me help you.” Cassius’s strong hands took the delicate cape and helped me into it. It made me want to twirl like a little girl. I felt beautiful. I stepped forward and hugged her. She felt so tiny in my arms.

  “Thank you, Evver. It’s beautiful. I love it!”

  Stepping back, her eyes were glowing with love. Cassius reached his hand out, offering it to me. My hand was trembling as I placed it in his. The second our skin touched, my tremors subsided. He led me out the door. It was the first time I had set foot out of the castle since the foul smelling troll had dragged me in here.

  As my feet touched the cobblestone, I was struck by how brightly the night stars glowed. They were like twinkling lights on a Christmas tree, only brighter, lighting our way in the murky night. My emotions were overwhelmed by all of the sights. Most of the buildings in the town- square looked as if they had been carved out of a single enormous boulder. Cobblestone walkways welcomed your every step. Large black wrought iron lanterns hung about every eight feet.

  The walkways were lit by huge candles, inviting us in. Cassius pointed out some of his favorite places. A book store–he loved to read as much as I did. The bakery which smelled like freshly baked bread and cinnamon. I forgot I was supposed to be locked away in the castle. Any thoughts of being imprisoned in a castle in a land far, far, away from my real life were gone. Spending time with Cassius felt more real to me than anything ever had.

  I was lost in my time with him.

  We walked around for about a half an hour. He stopped at a walk bridge, which traveled over a large flowing river, when he pulled me until we were in the middle of the bridge.

  “This is what I wanted to show you.” He gestured down toward the water. You could see the reflection of the stars and the full moon. It was breathtaking. I could have stared at it all night, if I wasn’t standing so close to Cassius.

  “This spot is really special to me. It all started for me here. My mother found me here when she was on her way home one night.” My shock was poorly covered. “It’s alright. I have lived a good life. I have gotten to see what it was like to be more than—human. Most of the human’s gave up easily when Tommit came to power. They all lived a comfortable life and most didn’t want to change it by fighting back. My ruse only works as long as I am willing to put up with Tommit’s doings. There will come a time where it will be too much, and I will fight back.”

  I hated the thought of him fighting anyone. I would have died if anything happened to him. My heart would never recover, I was certain.

  “My parents were wonderful. I was very blessed that they found me.”

  “Were? I thought your mother was still alive, but in hiding?” I blurted it out without thinking first. The grief that touched his eyes was painful to watch.

  “I can’t be sure, but there has been no word from my mother in over a year. You have to understand, Aurora. She loved my father, and all of us, more than her own life. I fear it was her love for us that may have driven her out of hiding. My heart aches, thinking of a future where she may really be gone forever.”

  I reached out to take both of his hands.

  “I am so sorry, Cassius. It’s not fair that you, Evver, and the rest of the kingdom have to suffer because of a big bully.” My furrow creased and my blood pressure started to rise. He smiled at me. With his right hand, he reached over and brushed away the hair from my eyes. Our heads started to lean into each other when he stiffened.

  “Quick, we have to go.”

  I didn’t even have a second to think it over. I was being pulled down the bridge behind him. We ran faster than I thought was humanly possible in my huge dress. Rushing through the town square, we hid in the shadows whenever Cassius heard an unusual sound. I could see he was concerned, but he stayed calm, trying not to frighten me. We made it back to the castle in record time. Instead of going in the kitchen, he led me to a new doorway. I trusted Cassius
with my life, so I followed him.

  Continuing to hold my hand, he led me through the corridors. I thought I was beginning to know the castle by now, but he was proving me wrong. In less than ten minutes he was opening the door to my bedroom. I was still so turned around. It was pitch dark. Not even the light from the full moon touched my room. My heart was racing. I was trying to catch my breath. Cassius’s chest was heaving. We waited quietly for a minute. When he was sure we were safe he took his hand and caressed my cheek. Leaning over, he kissed my forehead.

  “Sweet dreams,” he whispered, and slipped out the door.

  *

  I gently took off the beautiful cape that Evver had made me.

  Folding it gently, I hid it under my mattress. I didn’t want anyone to find it. Lying down, my body was exhausted, but my mind and heart remained on fire. The thought of our near kiss and his tender touch were still fresh in my mind.

  The skin still tingled where his lips had touched me.

  Morning would come sooner than I was prepared for, and I wanted to savor every moment I had spent with Cassius. I drifted into a peaceful sleep, with my heart focused on the boy with frosty blue eyes which warmed me to the bone.

  Chapter 5

  I woke up to another sunrise.

  The roosters still slept, yet I was already up and cleaning the castle floors. Today I was tasked with cleaning the south wing. Scrubbing floors, once again, until my hands bled. I was used to this by now; the pain was just another part of my daily grind. Today I was on my own. Evver was training someone new. Another fairy had been captured.

  Her crime you might ask?

  Her name was Shia, and she was searching for food for her young children.

  Her husband had been killed in the later uprisings. Shia was told she was unable to be hired for any labor, because her husband had fought against Tommit. So, she was now considered a threat to the throne. In desperation, she started scavenging for food for her tiny family. You could hear her cries throughout the castle when her wings were clipped.

  She was inconsolable.

  Not for herself, but for her children. Hidden deep in the fairy forest, they would never know what had happened to her. All alone with no one to care for them, she worried for their lives.